Swimming pool cover and method of covering a pool



Feb. 11, 1969 v. A. BAILEY ET AL SWIMMING POOL COVER AND METHOD OF COVERING A POOL Filed Jan. 21, 1966 Sheet BY 2 z i E 2 Feb. 11, 1969 v. A. BAILEY ET AL 3,426,366

SWIMMING POOL COVER AND METHOD OF COVERING A POOL Filed Jan. 21, 1966 Sheet a of 5 &

Wrraz/ 4. 4/46 AMA a ize sa INVENTOR.

Feb. 11, 1969 v, A. BAILEY ET AL 3,426,366

SWIMMING POOL COVER AND METHOD OF COVERING A POOL Filed Jan. ,21, 1966 Sheet 3 of United States Patent M Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A flexible pool cover is stored in rolled condition on a reel at one end of the pool. Cables attached to each side of the leading edge of the pool cover extend along the pool sides, pass over sheaves at the other end of the pool and return about a pulley on the reel. The leading edge of the cover includes at each side a trolley which rides on a rail extending along the pool sides outwardly of the pool edge. Apparatus is provided for raising and lowering the rails as a unit, such that during covering and uncovering of the pool the cover extends above the pool and when in covering relationit is lowered into contact with the pool edge walls.

This invention relates to covers for swimming pools, and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for manipulating a cover over a pool.

In the past, it has been the practice to reel and to unree'l a cover over a swimming pool. However, prior art apparatus for handling the cover has been complicated and has interfered with the use of a pool. Further, no prior art cover has enclosed a pool tightly to keep out blowing debris.

In accordance with the present invention, the abovedescri bed and other disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by locating a sheet of flexible material over a pool and then pulling the edges of the sheet downwardly over the edges of the pool. The sheet thus can rest on the edge of the pool coping stones and cover the pool tightly. Further, by transporting the sheet over the pool in spaced relation to it, the sheet does not become worn.

According to a feature of the invention, the sheet is carried on trolleys which ride in elevated rails. A special feature of this construction includes means to raise and to lower the rails. Thus, in the raised position the sheet is carried above the pool so that the sheet will not become worn by rubbing against the pool. The rails, however, may be lowered to fit the sheet tightly over the pool. Further, when the sheet is retracted, the rails may be lowered to a position out of the way and flush with the concrete surrounding the pool.

The above described and other advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a swimming pool with a cover of the present invention thereover;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the mechanism for covering a swimming pool constructed in accordance with the present invention;

3,426,366 Patented Feb. 11, 1969 FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the mechanism taken on the line 3-3 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is another transverse sectional view of the mechanism taken on the line 4-4 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a tnansverse sectional view similar to FIG. 4 showing the swimming pool cover in the covering position;

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the mechanism taken on the line 66 shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 6 with mechanism retracted;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view partly in section of one side of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of certain parts of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5.

In the drawings in FIG. 1, a swimming pool is indicated at 10. In general, the swimming pool is covered by a A-inch or -inch mesh of stainless steel cable or nylon covered with vinyl, plastic or canvas indicated at 11. The cover or sheet of flexible material 11 is rolled up in a rectangular bench 12 and unrolled therefrom to cover swimming pool 10. Cover 11 is pulled at the right end thereof by trolleys in top rails 13 and 14. The trolleys are connected to a reinforcement 15 that extends across the right end of cover 11 as viewed in FIG. 1. Rails 13 and 14 are upper rails and are selectively raised and lowered into wells 16 and 17 respectively. As will be explained, upper rails 13 land 14 are moved responsive to the reciprocation of slides in recesses 18 and 19 in the concrete surrounding swimming pool 10. Due to the fact that rail 14 and the structure surrounding rail 14 are identical to rail 13 and the structure surrounding it, only the rail 14 and the structure surrounding it will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 2, cover 11 is rolled onto and off of a drum or reel 20. Drum 20 is carried by stub shafts 21 and 22 in ears 23 and 24 beneath bench 12. As shown in FIG. 3, drum 20 is driven by a motor 25 through gears 26 and 27. Motor 25 has an output shaft 28 to which a gear 26 is fixed. Gear 27 is fixed to stub shaft 22. Cover 11 rolls under idler rolls 29 and 30 onto drum 20.

Cover 11 is retracted from swimming pool 10 by rotating drum 20 clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2. Cover 11 is pulled over swimming pool 10 by a cable 31 and a corresponding cable under nail 13, not shown. Cable 31 is wound on an end portion of drum 20 at 32 as shown in FIG. 3. Cable 31 extends :around an idler roll 33, around an idler roll 34, around a sheave 35 to reinforcement 15.

Reinforcement 15 is carried by a trolley 36 as shown in FIG. 8 which fits beneath rail 14. Trolley 36 has a body portion 37 from which guide rollers or horizontal pulleys 38 land 39 are suspended. Guide rollers 38 and 39 are grooved to fit over a lip 40 on a block 41 fixed to rail 14 by studs, one of which is indicated at 42 in FIG. 4. Body portion 37 also carries a roller 43 which rolls against the underside of rail 14.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, rails 13 and 14 are lowered and raised by the reciprocation of slides 44 and 45 respectively, operated by hydraulic rams 46 and 47. As shown in FIG. 2, slide 45 rides on stationary rollers 48 and 49.

As shown in FIG. 9, slide 45 has a block 50 fixed thereto. Block 50 is guided for longitudinal movement along a lower or bottom rail 51 which fits below upper rail 14 by a stud or bolt 52 that is threaded to rail 51 at 53, and a washer and bushing assembly indicated at 3 54 and 55, respectively. Bolt 52 extends through a horizontal slot 52' in block 50.

Rail 51 has a vertical slot 56 therein through which a stud 57 rojects. Stud 57 is threaded to rail 14 at 58. Stud 57 has a bushing 59 to ride in slot 56. Stud 57 also has a bushing 60 to ride in an inclined slot 61 in block 50. Note will be taken that when slide 45 is pushed to the right as viewed in FIG. 9 and the parts shown in FIG. 9 are assembled, bushing 60 will be allowed to rest at the bottom of slot 61. This will allow rail 14 to be lowered to the retracted positions shown in FIGS. and 7. When slide 45 is moved to the left, as viewed in FIG. 9, bushing 60 will be pushed to the top of slot '61, and rail 14 will be raised to the elevated positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 6.

Four of the assemblies shown in FIG. 9 may be used along the length of each side of the pool shown in FIG. 1, if desired. Hydraulic rams 46 and 47 are operated by a hydraulic pump 63 through a valve assembly.

Vertical movement of rail 14 relative t rail 51 is guided by a pair of rollers 64 and 65 shown in FIG. 2. Pairs of such rollers may be provided at four positions on each side of swimming pool 10 along the length of the pool, if desired. Rollers 64 and 65 are mounted on a yoke 66 that extends through a slot 67 in lower rail 51. Yoke 66 has a stud 68 that is threaded to block 41. Vertical movement of rail 14 inside rail 51 is also guided by a roller 69 which is fixed to rail by a tab 70.

In the operation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2, drum is rotated clockwise by motor to retract cover 11. At all times during the retraction of cover 11, it is spaced from coping stones 71. This function is performed by retracting slides 44 and 45 or moving them to the left as viewed in FIG. 2 to cause rails 13 and 14 to be in their upper positions. The upper position of rail 14 is indicated in FIG. 4. At the same time that cover 11 is being wound upon drum 20, cables corresponding to cable 31 on both sides of the pool 10 are let out. When the swimming pool is in use and cover 11 has been completely retracted, rails 13 and 14 are lowered to a position flush with the concrete 72 of pool 10 and the coping stones 71 of well 17.

When it is desired to cover the pool, motor 62 and the valve assembly 63 are operated to retract slides 44 and 45 to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. This again will raise rails 13 and 14 to their upper positions. The upper position of rail 14 is again shown in FIG. 6. Motor 25 is then again operated to drive reel 20 counterclockwise and pull cover 11 over pool 10 by winding the cables corresponding to cable 31 around the ends of drum 20. When cover 11 has been pulled completely over pool 10, rails 13 and 14 are again lowered. For example, rail 14 will assume the position shown in FIG. 5. This will place cover 11 taut over coping stones 71 as shown in FIG. 5.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the tight fit of cover 11 over edges 73 of coping stone 71 will effectively prevent the pool from being contaminated with debris. Further, by the use of rails 13 and 14 which may be raised and lowered selectively, cover 11 may be pulled over or retracted from the pool 10 in spaced relationship to coping stone 71 so that cover 11 will not become worn. Still further, when cover 11 is located over pool 10, rails 13 and 14 may be lowered to an out of the way position, as shown in FIG. 5. In addition, rails 13 and 14 may be lowered to an out of the way position when cover 11 is retracted as shown in FIG. 7.

Although only one specific embodiment of the invention has been described and illustrated, it will be appreciated that many of the component parts thereof may be changed or omitted. For example, the construction of cover 11 is not critical. Further, cables 31 may be made of rope, nylon or chain.

Although only one specific embodiment of the present invention has been described and illustrated herein, many changes and modificationS W Of Course Suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. This single embodiment has been selected for this disclosure for the purpose f illustration only. The present invention should therefore not be limited to the embodiment so selected, the true scope of the invention being defined only in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

I1. Apparatus for covering a swimming pool, said app aratus comprising: a reel .at one end of said pool; a sheet of flexible material on said reel; a member fixed to each forward corner of said sheet; a rail located outwardly of each of the pool sides; a trolley fixed to each member in a position to ride on a corresponding rail; and power means to pull said trolleys toward the other end of said pool, wherein each trolley has two horizontal pulleys lying in substantially the same horizontal plane and a vertical roller which rolls against a corresponding rail.

2. Apparatus for covering a swimming pool, said apparatus comprising: a sheet of flexible material; 'a pair of top rails; a trolley fixed to each side of said sheet and movable on a corresponding top rail; a pair of bottom rails; and means actuable to move said top rails upwardly relative to said bottom rails.

3. Apparatus for covering a swimming pool, said apparatus comprising: a sheet of flexible material; a pair of top rails; a trolley fixed to each side of said sheet and movable on a corresponding top rail; a pair of bottom rails, said bottom rails having a set of first vertical slots therethrough; a pair of slides; a block on each of said slides for each of said first vertical slots, each block having an inclined slot therethrough in partial registration with a corresponding first vertical slot, each block also having a horizontal slot therethrough; a first stud fixed to said top rails in a position extending through registering vertical and inclined slots; a second stud fixed to said bottom rails extending through each horizontal slot in each of said slide blocks; and means actuable to reciprocate said slides.

4. Apparatus for covering a swimming pool, said apparatus comprising: a sheet of flexible material; a pair of top rails; a trolley fixed to each side of said sheet and movable on a corresponding top rail; a pair of bottom rails, said bottom rails having a set of first vertical slots therethrough; a pair of slides; a block on each of said slides for each of said first vertical slots, each block having an inclined slot therethrough in partial registration with a corresponding first vertical slot, each block also having a horizontal slot there through; a first stud fixed to said top rails in a position extending through registering vertical and inclined slots; a second stud fixed to said bottom rails extending through each horizontal slot in each of said slide blocks, said bottom rails having a set of third vertical slots; a second stud fixed to said top rails in a position extending through each second vertical slot; at least one first vertical roller fixed to the end of each third stud; a set of second vertical rollers fixed to the lower edge of each top rail; and means actuable to reciprocate said slides for causing said top rails to be raised and to be lowered selectively.

5. Apparatus for covering a swimming pool, comprising: means containing a supply of sheet material located at one end of said pool, the length and width of said material being greater than the corresponding dimensions of said pool; guide means disposed along each side of the pool outwardly of the pool edges and extending longitudinally beyond the pool ends; roller means connected to the sheet material disposed on said guide means for movement therealong; drive means associated with said roller means for moving the roller means and sheet into and out of covering relation to the pool; and means for moving the guide means vertically to bring marginal portions of the sheet selectively into and out of contact with the pool edge walls.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS McGuire 4172 Ulrich et al 74110 Noonan 74-110 5 Kroeger 4-172 Farrell 114-202 Karobonik et al 4 172 Crltop-h 4-172 Anderson 160133 McBride 114-202 Karasiewicz 4-172 Bartolucci et a1 4-172 Pierson 4172 Machlda et a1 74-1 10 SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Primary Examiner. Suderow 114-202 10 D. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner. 

